Humble Service & Generous Lifestyle...part 5...Romans 13:8-14

 

A couple weeks ago I told the joke about the chicken and the pig in my sermon.  They were going into business together and the pig asked the chicken what kind of business.  "Ham and Eggs" was the chicken's response.  The pig responded, "What a minute, you are only giving a contribution but I am making a sacrifice."  Last weekend a lady in the congregation brought me this plate that she found at a flea market.  Now I have a prop to tell my joke!

July has 5 Sundays so I have the opportunity to speak about humble service and generous lifestyle one more time.  Jesus speaks of this often to His disciples because they and we are steep into a culture that emphasizes pride and selfishness.  The disciples were always arguing about who was the greatest and we are continuing trying to figure out who is the GOAT (greatest of all time) of our time.  In the midst of that, Jesus is calling His disciples and us to be humble and selfless.

We were able to include some physical examples of those who recently went on short-term mission trips to other parts of the world and also those who commit themselves to the humble service and generous lifestyle here closer to home within our community and local church.  It was a great morning to listen to others and how living for God has impacted their lives.  I have said over and over, "We have been saved by Jesus and through Jesus' sacrifice to serve Jesus with our very lives."

Our passage this Sunday, Romans 13:8-14, that was more of a devotional.  It starts out with our foundation of love in which humble service and generous lifestyle must come out of to be genuine.  Paul then gives us 3 things to be aware of.  We need to wake up; we need to clean up; and we need to clothe up.  Conveniently taking the first letters it is WCC which are the first letters of the church I am currently serving, Waushara Community Church.  Therefore, easy to remember and take out of the 4 walls of the church building, I hope!

We are to wake up from our slumber over the great salvation that we have received.  We have been justified and therefore saved from the penalty of sin.  We are being sanctified and therefore we are being saved from the power of sin.  We will be glorified and therefore we will be saved from the presence of sin.

We are to clean up by putting aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  These deeds of darkness listed seem to be from greater to lesser but they are lumped together as all deeds of darkness and to be put aside.  Even if we did look at this list as from greater to lesser, it seems the lesser are the ones we commit more and therefore need more attention given to.  Therefore, no getting off the hook here.

We are to clothe up with the Lord Jesus Christ.  We need to put on each day the One you belong to (Lord), the One who saved you (Jesus), and the One who was sent by a loving heavenly Father for you (Christ).  This is the way we make no provision or do not think about gratifying the desires of the flesh or the deeds of darkness.  

We have been operating under the guidance of our 3 "m's" and I see them here.  Out of the foundation of love we wake up, clean up, and clothe up.  Our motive is love.  The process of cleaning up, of putting aside and putting on is discipleship.  Our method is discipleship.  The ultimate example that we clothe ourselves with is Jesus.  Our message is Jesus.  

The devotional is at the 41 minute mark but the interviews are great to listen to also, maybe even better!  May we wake up, clean up and clothe up!

Adam